The LCCSA and CLSA welcome the public recognition by the Ministry of Justice that more funding is needed to deal with the crisis in the Criminal Justice System.

For more than 2 decades value has been eroded by inflation and direct cuts, and millions of people have been taken out of scope and priced out of access to justice.

The MOJ recently told Parliament that the Advocacy Scheme contained £18m of additional expenditure, and has now promised a further £15m.

Greg Powell of the LCCCSA said : “The capping of page count in the Litigator Fee scheme has been justified by the urgent need to make ‘savings’. Continuing to resist the Judicial Review Challenge to that cut is now obviously unjustifiable and we would welcome an announcement by the MOJ that it is not only reversing the PPE cut but recognises the need for new investment in the LGFS scheme”

Bill Waddington, of the CLSA said ‘It is imperative that the MOJ enter into negotiations regarding solutions to the current crisis which include the Law Society and solicitor professional associations. In particular, the MOJ must urgently reverse the 8.75% cut made in 2014, and to invest new money into Crown Court, Magistrates Court and police station fees, and to urgently review the Magistrates Court means test thresholds last considered in 2008 and which has denied many in our society access to justice’

24 May 2018

Law Society response to the Criminal Bar’s potential resolution with the Ministry of Justice

Law Society president Joe Egan said: “We’re pleased the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has recognised the argument that there needs to be proper funding in the criminal justice system, as evidenced by the proposed release of additional funds for legally aided work.

“We hope the MoJ will now withdraw their opposition to the Law Society’s judicial review for the Litigators' Graduated Fee Scheme (LGFS) cuts.

“We look forward to a similar announcement in relation to the work carried out by solicitors, including the withdrawal of the most recent pages of prosecution evidence (PPE) cut.

“This change of policy is no doubt as a result of the public debate about the state of the criminal justice system and recent arguments put forward by both sides of the profession and not as a direct response to the recent action of the bar.”

Ends

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Press office contact: Catherine Reed | Catherine.Reed@LawSociety.org.uk | +44 (0)20 7320 5902

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